Results 12,721-12,740 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for bring this matter before the House and I assure him that his comments will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, who is unavoidably absent. The Minister fully acknowledges the challenges that these patients are currently facing and the need for the provision of a dedicated haemodialysis service in Wexford for these patients. The Minister is...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Reform (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am very sorry that I am not the Minister for Education and Skills, but if I were, I would be very happy to be present. The Minister, Deputy Quinn, is unavoidably absent this afternoon. I would not infer that his absence is not without good cause. I am happy to respond to the issue raised on behalf of the Minister. The Deputy is referring to an announcement in budget 2012 that the means...

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this matter. I am not in the Department of Justice and Equality, but I am present in the House. I apologise for the Minister, Deputy Shatter, being unable to take this debate. The judgment of Mr. Justice Hogan in the High Court, delivered on 23 January, deals with an applicant's right to be heard in the context of an application for subsidiary protection....

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will be happy to bring the Deputy's opinions to the attention of the Minister. The Minister has asked me to advise the Deputy that he is unable to take this debate because he will be in the Seanad from 4.30 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. on Second Stage of a defence Bill. He will also take Private Member's business and the Adjournment debates in the Seanad. Obviously, the Minister is concerned...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Charges (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy McHugh for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister who is unavoidably absent. I ask Deputies to excuse any errors I may make in reading out replies as I am using a pair of borrowed reading glasses, having lost my own glasses this afternoon. The programme of revaluing all commercial and industrial properties in the State for rateable valuation...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Charges (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy McHugh for his proposals, which I will bring to the attention of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. He is correct that we need a strategy for the Border counties as they face different threats from counties such as Cork and Kerry. For example, different tax rates apply across the Border and various other competitive issues arise in the region. While valuations...

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, he has just left.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the views expressed by the Senator to the attention of the Minister. I want to say clearly that all county councils have procedures for asking questions and for the interrogation of officials in regard to any issue. What I would do, if it was in my county, is contact the county manager, get a meeting with the officials and get the facts on the table. If as the Senator alleges,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sale of State Assets (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill as ucht an t-ábhar seo a ardú inniu. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney. Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988, with the two shareholders being the Minister for Public Enterprise and the Minister for Agriculture. As the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator for bringing this matter to the attention of the Department. I am responding to the debate on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. Contracts for a wastewater treatment plant and a network upgrade for phase 2 of the Bandon sewerage scheme were included in the 2010-13 water services investment programme of the...

Seanad: Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Seanad for agreeing to take all Stages of this Bill this afternoon. This is the third time the legislation on this issue has been adjusted by the Oireachtas. The purpose of the Bill is to give the undertaking that the Government must come back to the House if it is a question of the total amount of the loan to Greece being changed. However, if the conditions other than that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ireland operates a model where the State provides the opportunity and private industry bears the risk associated with investing in exploration activity. Exploration investment is encouraged through an active and targeted promotion campaign, the holding of regular licensing rounds and by supporting petroleum research projects that deepen knowledge of the petroleum potential of the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: As the Deputy will be aware inland fisheries activity is based in “domestic waters” and interaction at EU level is limited. Some discussion on Inland Fisheries issues takes place as part of the broader Fisheries Agenda under DG Mare of the European Union. Working Groups and Committees are mainly attended by colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Countries that have petroleum production use a range of models to obtain a financial return from their natural resources. These models vary both in terms of the instruments used and in terms of the level of take which the State seeks to obtain. Some countries, including Morocco, use a combination of instruments, such as: State participation in licences; production royalties; along with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ireland operates a model where the State provides the opportunity and private industry bears the risk associated with investing in exploration activity. In addition to offering regular and attractive licensing initiatives and actively promoting the opportunity to invest in exploration in the Irish offshore, my Department works with a range of other State bodies to support the conduct of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No application has been received by my Department for a permit to drill an exploration well using hydraulic fracturing. The purpose of an exploration well is to obtain data on a specific geological objective or objectives. The depth of each individual well will, therefore, be determined by the depth of the related geological objective. In relation to the diameter of exploration wells,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Funding (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I am not a Minister in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, I am unable to answer the Senator's questions. However, I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister and ask him to reply directly.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Funding (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Conway for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are funded from local...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Senator's comments and I will return to these issues.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: This Bill enables us to establish Uisce Éireann and it is not envisaged this will be in the full Bill when it is set up. It is to ensure that the board is required to comply with such policies of the Government as are specified in the direction. It is a prudent measure inserted at this stage to ensure Government policy is adhered to as we progress and the company is set up. The...